


Keloid

by apathys_whore



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Blood, Drabble, Gen, M/M, References To Pedophilia, consenual mutilation, none actually happens, personal headcanon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-05
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-18 08:45:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5916721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apathys_whore/pseuds/apathys_whore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone thinks the scars are from the fire or:  he knows he’s pretty.  He doesn’t want to be.  Steps are taken to rectify it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keloid

He can almost see it. He swears if he took his mask off, he could smell it too. The minds of men are tainted with lust and hunger. He knows they look at him. They don’t know he knows. Look at all that red hair. What does he look like under the mask? Smooth and soft and small. It’s like feeling hands all over him and he hates it. He knows he’s pretty; he doesn’t want to be. 

So in the same way he took the gun away from Eli (a need born from the necessity of survival, the need to not be beaten, to not surrender), Eli presses the knife to Tretij’s face. And cuts. He feels the blood pour down his forehead. It’s a neat line, one that can easily be overlooked. More. He urges. The pain doesn’t matter. He’s felt worse when he’d violently ripped the life away from so many. Eli’s fingers (strong despite his years, strong from, and despite, his pain) cup his face. Left thumb on his cheek, fingers curled under his chin. Grip strong and sure. The knife draws short, wet lines through his lips. He feels baptized by his own blood. Born anew. His eyes are closed. He can taste iron on his tongue. He knows it runs down Eli’s fingers. Cascades and cataracts freely like a river born after drought. It stains his teeth. He hopes they’re never clean again. More. He forces the thought at Eli. He drags the knife from the corner of his mouth up, the point of it is deep in his smooth and soft and small flesh. Tainting it. Marring it. Freeing him. But he fears the scars won’t be enough. Scars can be fixed. He knows what they do to pretty children. He wraps his hands around Eli’s, feels the drying blood sealing them together (blood pact, brothers). This is necessary. He guides his hands to position the blade on the point of his nose. Eli doesn’t question, doesn’t hesitate. If this is what his comrade needs then he will do it. His left hands cradles back of the skull full of red curls; his right thumb rests on the tip of the blade. Like peeling an apple. It takes more effort. Cartilage is thick and tough but he already knew that.

The worst is over. He still hates his pretty hair. Gently as possible Eli uses the knife, still thick with blood, to remove as much of it as he can. When he’s done, he draws the cut along his forehead all the way around his skull. It’s his halo.

When they’re finished he burns his discarded bits. He slowly bleeds for hours. The stitches will come later.

**Author's Note:**

> I was surprised by how pretty they made child Mantis. I thought maybe he didn't want to be so pretty. At first I was gonna have him do it himself then I though NO. Eli would do it for him. Bros/future husbands saving each others lives. I also feel he shaves his head but is later unable to grow hair due to malnutrition. 
> 
> Not meaning to kinkshame anyone or anything (I will die for your right to do whatever you want in fanfiction), this was just screaming to get out so I let it. People also wonder why Mantis was so easy to kill in MGS1. I think it was his version of suicide. I love him and at night I weep for him.


End file.
